1840-1841 Master Humphrey's Clock

Description

First Edition, Illustrated, Original Binding

The first edition of this work in book form. Master Humphrey's Clock was originally issued serially in 88 weekly numbers and in 20 monthly parts from April 4 1840-November 27 1841. Following this the work was also published in this three volume edition. In the original publisher's cloth which is rather worn. Needing a rebind but would make an attractive copy once done. With a frontispiece to each volume and numerous vignettes throughout from designs by George Cattermole and Phiz. With the pale yellow endpapers to first volume and spanish marbled endpapers to volumes II and III as observed by Smith ( 44-57). Collated, complete. This work contains Dickens' novels of The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge. Master Humphrey's Clock contained many short stories and it was believed that Dickens intended The Old Curiosity Shop to be a short story as well. However, after a few chapters he made the decision to extend it into a novel. Later editions of The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge were published as separate novels, forgetting the miscellany of Master Humphrey's Clock. Charles Dickens created some of the world's best known fictional characters. He is widely regarded to be the greatest novelist of the Victorian era.